Downtown Colorado Springs businesses see upward trajectory despite slow holiday weekend

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Downtown Colorado Springs business owners are encouraged by recent foot traffic in the area, despite the rainy weather hurting sales over the weekend.

Emily Ross, the owner of retail shop Yobel, says things have picked up lately. She says the increased weather and the ease of the capacity restrictions and mask mandates have brought people to downtown eateries, and, in turn, her shop.

"A lot of times we have noticed that it seems as though folks come downtown to eat and drink a little bit more in their original mindset, rather than come down to shop," Ross says. "We've had a lot of great foot traffic, last weekend, and the weekend prior."

Ross said the excitement around opening up the rest of the business for the summer is still there, despite a quiet weekend, possibly due to the weather.

At Inherent Clothier, a men's clothing and mental health store, owner Taylor Draper says he's encouraged by what he's seen in recent weeks too. Draper's shop has been open since mid-March. He says the Memorial Day weekend sales weren't what he'd hoped for, but he's optimistic about the trajectory Downtown.

"It feels really good, it feels natural, it feels like there's a steady kind of trajectory going forward and upward," Draper says. "I was honestly a bit afraid it was going to be like a huge wave, but I think it's been a really steady and manageable growth through downtown."

Both of the new downtown business owners say the changes in health orders will also be helpful in bringing back customers. They remain optimistic that nice weather and the return of live events will also help get their books headed in the right direction.